Rune Study Post #8: Gebo

Happy Wednesday! Today's focus will be on Gebo, the seventh rune of the first aett.

Gebo translates to "gift," and connects to themes of gift giving, generosity, reciprocity, and exchange of sexual energy.

An Anglo Saxon rune poem (translated by Marijane Osborn) reads:

Giving is a grace that gains respect 

and honor for the giver; those owning nothing

find it a help when perhaps there's no other.

Questions:

1) What other meanings do you attribute to Gebo?

2) How do you utilize this rune in your practice?

3) If Gebo has presented itself in your rune castings, how have you seen its energy manifested?

Gifts and Gratitude

Yesterday a lovely thing occurred: a nice-sized USPS box arrived at my home, sent from many states over by my diviner-friend, Robin, from the Quartz Cafe. I get tired of hearing myself say things like "I can't believe it!" or "This is amazing!" or "How the hell did I deserve this awesomeness????" But the truth is, those are the thoughts that have been flowing through my mind for a couple of days now, and they'll probably being hanging around for a while more to come.

Many months ago, just as I was falling ill with a nasty cold, Robin had sent me a package that she said would include "just" a new Kipper deck. I was pretty excited. When it arrived it was far more than a deck - she had sent incense, and an incredible quantity of wonderful teas, of all types. So as I descended into the throws of coughs and sneezes and lethargy, I was nursed along by Robin's teas, and entertained by my new deck.

Yesterday's box was amazing for many of the same reasons (and some others as well). First of all, she wasn't just sending goodies to me. She sent along some special things for a mutual friend of ours as well, who happens to live in my same town. Not only did I (and our other friend) become the recipient of the new Under the Roses Lenormand, but she just happened to toss in the Gaian Tarot for kicks. Really? That would have been enough to induce deep silence in me for days, but as padding for the decks she included a variety of tea, a sack of dried rose buds, a bag of loose white sage, spell candles anointed with her handmade charging oil, and boxes of new incense. 

Gaian Tarot - Joanna Powell Colbert

I tell Robin that I simply have to provide her with something in return, to show my gratitude. A lifetime's supply of readings??? It seems pathetically disproportionate, though I'd do it with joy (and I will most certainly hatch a plan to get her back some day). But she always says, "Just let me set my tent up in your back yard when I come visit." 

There's a sacred lesson here. (Though even typing that seems trite, since I'm the one who's done all the receiving, to date!)

All I can say is that I feel blessed and deeply humbled to have this ridiculously selfless person in my world. (Oh, and I suppose that one way I can show her some gratitude is by mentioning that her eBay shop has all sorts of wonderful divination items, so check it out! - this is someone worth doing business with).

So thank you, Robin. 

Gifts in the Mail

I've been really sick this past week. Well, "really sick" is just a matter of perspective, but it's the worst head cold I've had in almost a year, and it really flattened me for a few days (I can happily report that I'm now improving). They say everything happens for a reason, and in that light I have to say I was the happy recipient of a lovely box of goodies from a friend which couldn't have arrived at a more opportune time.

The lovely Robin from The Quartz Cafe had told me she had an extra copy of the Mystical Kipper deck, and she wanted to pass it on to me. Okay! Kipper cards (Kipper Karten) are a fairly new (circa 1900-ish) particularly German-style divination system similar to Lenormand, which I'd been interested in beginning to experiment with. In fact it was Robin who brought them to my attention to begin with, so in some way it seemed appropriate that I should come by my first deck through her kindness. The deck is really cool, and has been fun to play with thus far. She told me that she was sending the package very well wrapped and marked; she had spent many years as a postal clerk and was very keen on making sure a box arrived at its intended destination!

So I was sick at home when the FedEx fellow rang my doorbell announcing the arrival of my new Kipper cards. The box was a bit larger than necessary for a tiny box of cards, but hey, Robin doesn't mess around!  Well, maybe that last statement is true, but the reason for the large box was that it contained much more than just a set of cards.  She had sent me loads of different teas, a sack of dried rose buds, a nice card, and several types of cone incense!!!  I was surprised, excited, humbled, pleased, and really touched.

Plus, I was sick. And I love tea. And this box of tea was precisely what I needed, and at just the right time. As I descended into the depths of mental fog, brain congestion, and feverish aches and pains, I found great pleasure in sorting through the box of tea and deciding "what next??" Hmm….maybe some mysterious Chinese black tea, immediately followed by Pumpkin Spice….then a berry tea, and then maybe some Prince Grey. Some I drank plain, some with a little honey, some with a touch of milk. And all were piping hot, and just what I needed to get me through the rough seas of a bad head cold.

Meanwhile, between nose-blows, I pulled out my new Kipper deck and began to explore.

Thanks to Robin for the immensely thoughtful package, and to the Universe for the synchronicity.